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Anti-Depressants responsible for mania????

About a year and a half ago I was put on Remeron for depression and a month or two following that I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar and was put on Depakote too. I've never been so MANIC in my life!!  This past year and a half has been hell trying to stabilize my moods. I've tried Lithuim and Abilify too and still it hasn't helped. So, I'm back on Depakote.    When they upped to dose of Remeron from 30mg to 45mg, because  they said I seemed more down and depressed.  I slipped into the most manic phase of my life. I got even more depressed and started sleeping 13 hours a day!   I was so up and down and irritable and hated the world.  I'm usually not that angry or emotional.  Then once I came back down to 30 mg of Remeron I was much much better.  

I honesty don't know if its the Remeron that has made me seem bi-polar or if I truly am.  I've never been like this, my family thinks i'm on drugs and so do my friends.  My whole life I've never had "highs" or "lows" and now all of sudden I do. I'm 22 years old, how could I just wake up and be bi-polar??? My pysch doctor hasn't mentioned it could be the Remeron, if i could get in touch with her, I'd ask her, but my app isn't for weeks and shes so hard to get in touch with.  I want to lower my dose and see if that helps.  

Help!  I need some opinions on this please!!!  Could it be the REMERON or I AM CRAZY?  

Thanks
JJ
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Avatar universal
Hi J,

If you Google Remeron and mania you should see the first reference for an RX list  page stating this "Mania/hypomania occurred in approximately 0.2% (3/1299 patients) of REMERON®-treated patients in US studies. "

I went to that page but could not find this statement but rxlist will have it somewhere there. Pretty low incidence but possible as it is with many A/D's.

Like you, I had never had a hint of bi polar in my life until, at age 48 I had a 6 week hypomanic episode. I'm sure that was due to mal treatment as the pdoc at that location virtually gave me only one drug, a psychotic for anger.

Nevertheless once you've had an episode that's where they classify you and I have to say I've had 2 small episodes since, in 10 years. I very mild and very enjoyable and was I angry when it stopped? Oh yes. The next though was a rapid cycling nightmare and I wanted no more of hypomania or mania, ever. Lithium did the trick for me luckily, with Effexor, that's been my staple diet for 10 years, in between poop out periods trying some useless new med.

I too don't know what I am as I believe BP was induced in me by the docs failures. But I still have it and have to deal with it don't I? So I can't pretend it isn't likely again as it has proven it does happen. I actually don't mind the diagnosis as it sounds better than depression to so many. Of course they have no idea but it does let you get away with a lot. Just smile at someone you don't like and say "I'm bi polar, you know, manic depressive". And say no more. They tend to freak out so I do have a little fun with it when I'm feeling OK.

The time line of 2 months after starting Remeron is fairly telling isn't it? I'd be asking to switch and try to wean right off before starting the next lot. Check whatever the doc suggests on RX list, a good web site, for side effects before you decide.

Good luck, see you in space sometime, maybe?
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585414 tn?1288941302
Yes anti-depressents worsening mania in a person with bipolar are a possibility. If bipolar is your diagnosis bring this up with your psychiatrist and perhaps they could find a full mood stabilizer that would have an anti-depressent effect if Remeron is potentially worsening mania. Out of all the anti-depressents Wellbutrin is the least likely to worsen mania (but its still a possibility) in people with bipolar so you could ask your psychiatrist about that.
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